BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – During Mental Health Awareness Month, members of the public are being reminded about the critical services provided by the Bridge Center for Hope.<\/p>\n
The facility in Baton Rouge serves as a crisis stabilization center for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. Anyone ages 18 and older can walk in and get the immediate help they need.<\/p>\n
Services provided by the Bridge Center for Hope include 23-hour crisis observation, short-term psychiatric care, assistance with detoxification and withdrawal management, and more.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we do is we try to handle that immediate crisis,\u201d said Charlotte Claiborne, the executive director for the Bridge Center for Hope. \u201cOnce we stabilize that individual, we connect them to resources.\u201d<\/p>\n
The center opened its doors in 2021. Before the facility became a reality, patients experiencing a crisis would often end up in an emergency room or jail.<\/p>\n
According to the Bridge Center for Hope, no one is turned away for care. All forms of insurance are accepted, and patients without insurance will not be denied help.<\/p>\n
Community events planned<\/p>\n
In an effort to get more people the mental health care help they need, the center is hosting multiple public events.<\/p>\n
The Bridging the Gap Community Resource Fair is set for Friday, May 29, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The event is taking place at the Main Library on Goodwood in Baton Rouge. There will be on-site screenings, free information about resources, and more.<\/p>\n
For people who can\u2019t attend the main resource fair, the following events will offer similar services:<\/p>\n
The Bridge Center for Hope is located at 3455 Florida Street in Baton Rouge.<\/p>\n
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